Radiation Stability of the p-Type SnO_<i>x</i> TFT with Al₂O₃ and HfO₂ Passivation Layers

Tin monoxide (SnO), as a p-type semiconductor material, has received widespread attention in oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) due to its excellent electrical properties. Passivation layers, including alumina (Al2O3) and hafnium oxide (HfO2), have demonstrated effective suppression of the phase instability in SnO, thereby enhancing its electrical properties. However, research on the radiation stability of SnO TFTs with different passivation layers in harsh ionizing radiation environments is still lacking. In this work, SnOx TFTs with no passivation, Al2O3, or HfO2 passivation layer were manufactured and subjected to 50 keV proton irradiation with a dose range of 1013–1015 cm–2 to investigate the influence of the passivation layer on the radiation stability of SnOx TFTs. The results showed that the passivated SnOx TFTs demonstrated significantly improved stability compared to their unpassivated counterparts under both before and after irradiation conditions. And the passivated SnOx TFTs exhibited excellent radiation hardness up to a dose of 1015 cm–2 despite a negative shift in the threshold voltage. Among them, the Al2O3-passivated SnOx TFTs showed superior radiation stability compared to the HfO2-passivated ones, with a smaller threshold voltage shift under unbiased and negatively biased stress conditions after proton irradiation. This study provides valuable insights into the radiation stability of SnOx TFTs and serves as a reference for enhancing their reliability in radiation-prone environments.